N.C. Deputy Ambushed by Four Gangbangers: Are the Assailants Aliens or Citizens?

Police Magazine is carrying the story of an off-duty, plainclothes deputy sheriff from Wake County, N.C., who was at a child's birthday party when he was ambushed by four known gang members: "Gabriel Moreno, 39, of Knightdale; Miguel Angel Moreno, 25, of Wendell; Remi Nambo, 27, of Raleigh; and Delfino Alejo, 27, of Garner". After the deputy, also Hispanic, arrived with the children at the party location a lone male asked if he could speak to him alone; when they stepped outside, three other men joined the first individual, calling the deputy a "pig" and assaulting him with fists, feet, and weapons. They have now been charged with a variety of felonies.

According to news accounts, investigators are trying to figure out how they knew the deputy was in law enforcement. A good question. Here's three more that I haven't been able to find answers to in media accounts, at least as of the time I'm writing this (see for instance here and here).

What gang? Any bets that its Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), the ultra-violent criminal organization dominated by Salvadoran and other Central American nationals? MS-13 has deep roots throughout North Carolina. If you have any doubt, just do a Google search on the words "North Carolina MS-13"; you may be surprised at the multiplicity of results — almost all of them involving serious criminal activity and violence.

Where are the four really from? The chances are pretty strong that if these men are "validated" gang members, as asserted by the District Attorney, then they aren't, in fact, from Knightdale, Wendell, Raleigh, or Garner, N.C. —but, in our age of hypersensitivity and political correctness, no one wants to put a fine point on them being aliens, not citizens.

What is their immigration status? If they are aliens, the public deserves to know exactly what their status is. Illegal? Re-entrants after deportation? Recipients of "dreamer" benefits under the White House's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program?

If one didn't see news organizations, as they so often do, stretch mightily to avoid asking questions about individuals' citizenship or alien status — even though these questions are eminently reasonable in such circumstances, and must obviously be in the minds of the reading and viewing public — then perhaps I would not be quite so jaded and quick to suspicion when noting incidents like this case.

But they are, and I am. Let's hope that more comes to light on this case so that the questions can be put to bed.

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